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A Very difficult Topic, a very troubling thing

Doctor George Tiller was assassinated today inside his church. For years he has been just One out of about 5 doctors who will perform a late term abortion. Dr. Tiller has been under threat, harassment, and has even had his arms shot, for performing late term abortions. Yet he has persisted until today when he was gunned down.

This is a very difficult subject for many people myself included, because I am viscerally opposed to murder, yet I find what the Doctor has been doing viscerally disturbing.

I'd like to invite comments from you readers as to how you feel about the incident, about the laws, and about Late term abortion.

Please, before you comment be sure that you truly understand what Late term abortion is.

I do not allow emotions on subjects as polarising as late-term abortion to influence my assessment of this, and it is murder, plain and simple. There are no extenuating circumstances - either in this case or in general - which will cause me to view murder as acceptable.

Ultimately, we have here a human being who doubtless viewed himself as a service provider. This is a guy, who, rights and wrongs aside, had people coming to him and seeking a service, one which, according to the State of Kansas, it was not illegal for him to provide. I am attempting to keep my terminology as neutral as possible as I have no interest in turning this into another abortion thread, we've been down that road too recently in my eyes.

One matter I will not be wary of using condemnatory terminology to describe is the vigilantism that his seen this man killed in cold blood. I also won't restrict my condemnation to vigilantism which escalates to the point of murder, because the harassment that this man, his wife and his children faced throughout their lives is appaling. There are many divisive issues in the world, and with entrenchment of positions, frustrations may arise at the inability to achieve ones' goals through peaceful means, but honestly, that should never make organisations that promote hate an acceptable alternative.

I had planned to withhold my own comment (besides the OP), but I find I cannot any longer.

The slaying of Dr. Tiller is murder plain and simple. The muderer should be prosecuted fully and Justice must be done. I cannot see myself in any way shape or form joining with those who killed him or harassed his family.

Having truthfully said the above, I have to express my disgust with the laws of the United States, and the Supreme Court Justices who in 1973 ruled in a narrow 5 to 4 decision that legalized abortion in 1st Trimester, and granted it protection on the same level as any other constitutional right. The effect of that decision continue to resonate throughout society. I have always felt that laws that change and or challenge deeply held moral values or life and death matters should emanate from accountable legislators who can face the wrath of their electorates, and not from Judges whose decisions are unassailable. Besides Judges should interpret law, not make them.

I'd like too, to note that the Murder of Dr, Tiller is forever going to taint all those who believe in peaceful protest of abortion, and cause everyone to be seen and maybe even classed in the same light as terrorists. This was not a good thing at all.

I invite you to click on the link above this section for an overview of the supreme court decision that legalized abortions in the USA.

I am not perfect andI defy you to prove otherwise Growing Old Gracefully is an Oxymoron ... Mostly Moron !

i believe abortion in all ways is wrong and if people want to have an abortion they should have thought about that before having unprotected sex rather then wanting to destroy a new life... but what happend to the doctor really was tragic though that itself is another topic.

I believe abortion is certain situations is a good thing to do (life threatening situations for example), but if it's for some stupid reason like not wanting to have a child, then please for the sake of the baby put it up for adoption.

but what happend to the doctor really was tragic though that itself is another topic.

No, it should be this topic, because if it's not, I'll have to close the thread. We did the whole abortion thing all of a couple of months ago, as paulbee will know, as he was active in the thread, the result being that the thread was closed for its tone and due to user complaints after one, count it with me - one - day of activity. What new level of rational discourse have we achieved that will make this anything other than a rehash?

EDIT: Actually, gin posting about the very topic I'm whining about does make any attempts to pull rank on my part a little odd, so do as you all wish, but know that big brother is watching. Do try not to wreck the thread, gonnae?

No, it should be this topic, because if it's not, I'll have to close the thread. We did the whole abortion thing all of a couple of months ago, as paulbee will know, as he was active in the thread, the result being that the thread was closed for its tone and due to user complaints after one, count it with me - one - day of activity. What new level of rational discourse have we achieved that will make this anything other than a rehash?

EDIT: Actually, gin posting about the very topic I'm whining about does make any attempts to pull rank on my part a little odd, so do as you all wish, but know that big brother is watching. Do try not to wreck the thread, gonnae?

I wouldn't want this to be the abortion debate alone. What has happened is a tragedy, but it's not simply about abortion alone.

I hope comments can be made about how laws are made, how one wrong doesn't justify another, about the kind of men/women who perform (late term) abortions, how they see themselves, and about the responsibility of organizations which oppose abortions to keep their groupies in order.

I am not perfect andI defy you to prove otherwise Growing Old Gracefully is an Oxymoron ... Mostly Moron !